Medical experts suspect that there are a number factors or a combination of factors, which can lead to eating disorders – such as behavioural, psychological or social factors. For example, young children and teens may get influenced by the latest fads or cultural images that favour being ‘size 0’ or being ‘skinny’ as healthy.

Young children and teen may suffer from problems, such as feelings of helplessness, fear of becoming overweight, distress and low self-esteem. To cope with various eating concerns, young children and teens may suffer from various other psychiatric health conditions too, such as substance abuse, anxiety disorders and depression.

Thus, it is important to understand the causes and adopt treatment options that are relevant and specific to each case of anorexia.

Understanding anorexia. Anorexia is a psychological condition and not a physical one primarily. Even though it affects both, the mental and physical health, anorexia is typically a heightened fear of becoming fat. A patient with anorexia has an ongoing fixation with losing weight and becoming thin all the time. One can call it a level above obsession. Anorexia can arise because of many factors that are social, emotional and biological. A traumatic experience, distorted family environment and lack of self esteem are a few of the main causes of anorexia.

The psychology behind anorexia. Young teens, and even children for that matter, who suffer from anorexia may have a distorted image of self, especially of their bodies. They look at themselves as being extremely heavy, even when they are severely skinny. They are totally obsessed with the idea of being thin and they don’t believe in maintaining a healthy weight.

Medical experts suspect that there are a number factors or a combination of factors, which can lead to eating disorders – such as behavioural, psychological or social factors. For example, young children and teens may get influenced by the latest fads or cultural images that favour being ‘size 0’ or being ‘skinny’ as healthy.

Young children and teen may suffer from problems, such as feelings of helplessness, fear of becoming overweight, distress and low self-esteem. To cope with various eating concerns, young children and teens may suffer from various other psychiatric health conditions too, such as substance abuse, anxiety disorders and depression.

Thus, it is important to understand the causes and adopt treatment options that are relevant and specific to each case of anorexia.

Some of the main symptoms of anorexia are anxiety, depression, and perfectionism. People with anorexia are highly critical of themselves. They have a unique interest in food, such as calculating every bite they eat, eating in secret, avoiding meals. They might go for compulsive or excessive exercising. There menstruation cycle may become irregular or in some cases stop. Obsession of becoming fat, even when underweight is a hallmark symptom of anorexia.

Acknowledging anorexia. One of the main steps towards understanding the condition and treating it further is deciding to get help for anorexia. People who have anorexia are generally unaware about their condition, and thus a series of shameful acts and lack of acknowledgment become part of the main obstacle for treatment.

Treating anorexia. The first goal of treating anorexia is getting the person back to a healthy weight. Depending upon the intensity of anorexia, a person can suffer from extreme or life-threatening malnutrition.

Support groups, behavioural therapy, antidepressant medication and psychotherapy may be needed to address long-term physiological issues related to anorexia. One must understand that treatment of anorexia has to be first with a psychologist, as it is more of a mental health problem. A disease with a far reaching consequence, anorexia’s signs and symptoms must be recognised before it is too late.